Senora saw the dinosaurs an instant before she saw the dirt driveway that led into the wildlife center. Four large, shaggy bison grazed lazily in a fenced area by the front entrance, not even lifting their heads when the tires of her car sprayed tiny gravel behind her. She stopped, unrolling her window and peering into the foggy morning, looking for the person that the Sheriff said would be escorting her in.
“You’ll need to drive a little slower than that in the park,” a voice drawled behind her.
She nearly jumped out of her skin. How had he gotten behind her?
Before she could ask him just that, he was at the passenger door, his hand on the handle and waiting for her to unlock the door. She did so reluctantly, still trying to figure out where he’d been hiding when she had pulled up.
“I’m Ty Mahigan,” he said, thrusting one bronzed hand toward her and smiling.
His black hair was shoulder length and slightly wavy, his eyes a dark brown so deep that she found herself instantly lost in their depths. . She shook her head, pulling herself back to the moment and her hand out of his. He smiled again, eyes twinkling merrily as if he knew what she’d been thinking for the instant she had lost herself.
“Senora Edwards,” she said almost as an afterthought. “Are you my guide?”
“You could say that,” he said, offering nothing more.
He pointed at the gate, then sat back in the passenger seat, content to have her driving him along the narrow, winding path.
The gate closed behind them as they passed the large building that served as the welcome center and bathroom facilities. Then, the last signs of civilization disappeared, and it was almost as if they had driven straight into an African Safari.
All manner of wildlife circled the car as she drove slowly over the crumbling pavement, careful to give the red deer that lumbered across the road plenty of time to pass.
`“They don’t seem worried about us,” she said.
“That’s because the wildlife center is about to open, and they’re expecting to be fed.”
“Out of cars?” Senora asked, a little surprised. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“It’s a unique place. It was one of my favorites growing up.”
“And now?” Senora asked.
“Who says I grew up?”
Senora scoffed, eyeing him sideways as she crept down the road at five miles an hour.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Of course, I’m joking,” he said. “Maybe.”
“So, why were you sent as a guide? I’m not sure that I really need a guide when I have my GPS.”
“I’m a consultant of sorts. You need me, trust me. I’m here to watch over you.”
“I can watch over myself,” she shot back. “I’m an FBI Agent, not some bumbling tourist.”
Her tone was curt, but he seemed unaffected. For some reason, that irritated Senora. Most men apologized when they’d offended her. But she could already tell that Ty wasn’t most men.
“So, who do you work for?” Senora asked, wondering exactly who this tall, bronzed and muscled man was.
He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt stretched taut against his muscles; not exactly typical detective attire. Senora couldn’t think of an agency that would allow the haircut either. Whatever he did, she would lay money that he was an independent contractor of some sort. There was no way he worked under anyone.
“I work for you right now, but that’s not important. Take a right here, where it says employees only.”
She did as he instructed. She decided to drop the subject for now. He was dancing around her questions, and she wasn’t in the mood to spar with him, even if it was mentally. He was obviously more of a morning person than she was, and he wasn’t invested in the case. The heaviness that had settled on Senora’s heart since the Sheriff had called thirty minutes ago wasn’t holding Ty’s good-natured ribbing at bay. He was here to do his job, and Addie’s life meant nothing to him.
Sure, he would probably feel something at the sight of her body, but it wasn’t the same. He wouldn’t know the moment when she was standing by Addie’s car when Senora believed that she could make a difference for this troubled woman. Ty hadn’t heard the stories about what a good heart Addie had, and how she had put her job on the line to take care of her mother any way she could. Addie was just a body to Ty and to the Medical Examiner. She couldn’t begrudge them their good mood. They hadn’t failed Addie.
Senora had failed Addie.
That’s not fair, she thought, and she knew that she was right. If Addie was already dead, Senora hadn’t really had a chance of saving the woman. But that didn’t make losing her victim any easier.
She sighed heavily before she remembered that she had company in the car. Ty turned, his expression concerned, his eyes boring into her.
“Are you alright?” he asked, pointing to the fork in the road as he waited for her answer.
“It’s hard to lose them,” she said.
“I imagine it is. I’m sorry you couldn’t save her, but from the sounds of it, she was dead last night. I’m not sure what you could have done.”
“I know that,” Senora said. “But I always have hope. Sometimes, hope is the only thing that these people have, and I’m the only one holding onto the hope that they’ll be found. Addie was written off right away by everyone else. I just knew that I would find her safe.”
“Addie had a history of crying wolf,” Ty said.
“That doesn’t mean she deserved this.”
“Of course, it doesn’t mean that. But it’s hard for people to take a disappearance seriously when the victim has a history like that.”
His voice was calm, and something about the way he spoke to her made it clear that he agreed with her. He wasn’t okay with Addie’s latest disappearance being written off as a hoax, but he didn’t have the time invested in it that Senora did.
He was completely neutral.
I suppose that’s better than the Sheriff’s attitude, Senora thought. She saw vehicles parked ahead, and she pulled into an empty space between the Coroner’s van and the Sheriff’s shiny, black SUV.
Ty got out of the car, waiting for Senora to fall into step with him before he headed to the group that stood outside the enclosure.
Senora looked at the men gathered round, then peered through the high chain link fence at the figure in the tall grass. The wind blew gently, and Senora’s stomach turned at the smell of fresh blood and a lot of it.
“Has anyone touched the body yet?” Senora asked. “Were you able to make a positive ID?”
“We made the ID with the drone,” the Sheriff said. “But no, no one has touched the body yet.”
The men were still standing there, and no one made a move toward the gate where a pale looking woman in khakis stood waiting, her back to the gruesome scene on the other side of the fence.
“Are we waiting for something?” Senora asked.
“Not something, someone,” the Sheriff said, pointing to Ty. “No one goes near these wolves without Ty.”
“I don’t understand.”
The woman in khakis spoke up then, her voice shaky.
“Our facility is as close to nature as possible and we have very little interaction with the animals. We give them a home that is as close to their natural habitat as possible, and we leave them to their own devices. We let nature run its course in most cases and only call in vets for certain things. Because of this, we don’t really have somewhere to lock the wolves up in this enclosure, and they’re not used to humans. We can have a vet come out with a tranquilizer gun, but he wouldn’t be here for a few hours if that, and we’re already having a hell of a time keeping them off the body.”
At the word “body,” the woman gagged and turned away. Senora felt for her.
“So, what are we going to do?” Senora asked.
“That’s where Ty comes in,” the Sheriff drawled with a smile. “He’s our wolf whisperer. He’ll keep them under control while you get a look. Then, we’ll get the boys in there to bag it up and recover what we can from the scene.”
Senora scowled at the Sheriff’s flippant words when referring to Addie’s remains, but she let it go. The Sheriff was an ass, and there was nothing Senora could say that would fix that.
“We’re going in there with the wolves?” Senora asked.
“It is their home,” the woman said. “I can let you in, but it’s up to you to get out without letting the wolves free.”
“Okay,” Senora said. “And how is Ty going to help?”
“He’s got some sort of Indian powers. They can talk to the wolves, you know,” the Sheriff said, and it was clear that the Sheriff was mocking Ty, even though Senora knew that the Sheriff wasn’t going to be joining them in the enclosure.
“Sheriff, you flatter me,” Ty said, but even Senora could hear the disdain in his voice.
Senora smirked at the back and forth between the two men. There was obviously no love lost between the two, and if Senora had to pick a side, she would pick whatever side the Sheriff was not on. He was an ass, and Senora didn’t care for him one bit. Her estimation of Ty went up a bit when she realized that he didn’t care for the Sheriff either.
Senora took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“I guess we should get this over with,” she said.
The woman at the gate nodded and unlocked the heavy chain that kept out any would-be intruders. Ty went in first, with Senora right behind him. The Coroner hung back on the outside of the enclosure. He stood beside the woman in khaki, waiting until the all-clear was given before putting his own life on the line.
Senora’s heart was racing as they entered the enclosure and went toward the body. She stayed behind Ty, looking around him and catching sight of a large, reddish wolf pacing along the fence in the distance.
“It’s not going to eat us, is it?” she asked, then wanted to kick herself for the fear that she heard in her own voice.
“Doubtful, but we are messing with their meal.”
“Why aren’t they attacking you?”
“They’re not going to attack. They’re shy creatures by nature, and as long as we walk in here like we’re not afraid, everything will be fine.”
“You don’t look afraid at all,” Senora pointed out.
“You do,” he said, chuckling.
He knelt beside the body and shook his head.
“This poor woman,” he said under his breath.
Senora got close, looking at the mess in front of them, and then trying to focus on Addie’s face and ignore the rest. Despite the trauma to the rest of her body, Addie’s face was almost completely untouched. Her eyes were wide with shock, and Senora was sure that the Sheriff was right about one thing: Addie had been alive for most of what had been done to her.
Senora shuddered at the thought, noting the massive trauma to her body from the neck down, and was glad that Addie hadn’t lived through this horror. It was hard to tell what was done by the murderer and what had been done by the wolves as they picked at her throughout the night, but Senora hoped that Addie hadn’t been alive once she was tossed into the enclosure.
Senora turned away, grimacing to keep her gag reflex at bay when a strong wind gust sent the rancid smell into her face.
“Are you alright?” Ty asked almost tenderly.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “We need to get the body out of here before people see her.”
“No one will see her here. This part of the center is only open for special events, and there are none. No one comes this way.”
“Regardless, we need to get Addie out of here. I’ll need to get some DNA samples from the Medical Examiner to put in her file, but other than that, my focus is going to be on finding her killer.”
“Do you think that one person did this alone?”
“The thought has crossed my mind that it could be two, but this type of brutality is usually extremely personal. I don’t know that two people could have this much hatred for someone.”
“The world is a scary place,” Ty said.
“I’ll say.” She cast a glance at the men milling about on the other side of the fence, laughing and talking as if a woman hadn’t been violently murdered just a few yards from where they stood. “I don’t know what’s worse: the killer or the people that are sworn to protect Addie and others like them. I don’t think the Sheriff is sorry that Addie died.”
“Don’t let him give the rest of us a bad name. He’s known to be a complete ass, and he hasn’t got an empathetic bone in his body. He’s more concerned with speed traps and getting the department funded with frivolous citations. He wasn’t a good person long before the badge, and he’ll be that way long after.”
Senora shook her head.
“I just can’t see being so callous and crass. Even the way that he spoke to you was rude.”
Ty shrugged his shoulders.
“I would have to care about his opinion to be offended by his ignorance. If he wants to believe that indigenous people have some sort of mystical powers when it comes to talking with animals, more power to him. It’s fine with me if he wants to be an idiot.”
Senora laughed in spite of herself. At least she was in good company with someone who saw the Sheriff for who and what he was.
“What about the Coroner? Is he going to treat her with respect, or should we do this ourselves?”
Ty looked at her, obviously taken aback by her suggestion.
“Are you sure you’re alright with that?” he asked.
Senora looked over her shoulder at the Coroner, who was looking pale and as if he was ready to bolt at any minute.
“They got extensive video with the drone, right?”
“They did.”
“There’s nothing we can gather out of here, and any tracks that were on the road were likely destroyed when the Sheriff and his men drove over them. There’s nothing here that we can use, so let’s get her out of here and back to the Medical Examiner’s office.”
Ty nodded.
“It will be safer if you get the bag and some gloves while I stand here,” he said.
“Safer?” she started to ask, then she remembered the animals pacing not too far from them. “Oh, right. I guess I would be a sitting duck if you walked away.”
“A tasty duck,” Ty teased.
Senora stood and walked to the gate, talking to the Coroner briefly. The man was more than happy to hand her what she needed, and only one of his men was willing to help them move the body.
Senora bit back her disgust. It was clear from the moment she’d stepped foot in this town that no one cared for this poor woman. At least, not the people that were morally bound to protect her. Senora was angry on Addie’s behalf. While she normally used the local law enforcement to help her solve the murders that happened during her case, this time, she was going to run the investigation alone. The Sheriff was useless, and his men weren’t much better. She needed people that were dedicated to justice for everyone, not just the rich and the favored.
The three of them worked quietly and methodically, rolling Addie onto her side and sliding the bag beneath her. The body was warm through the gloves, leading Senora to wonder if she’d been out here as long as they thought. Before she could even ask, the Coroner’s assistant took Addie’s liver temperature then scowled.
“I hate Texas summers,” he said. “I’m not going to be able to give you time of death, but the Medical Examiner will.”
“I appreciate your help,” Senora said to the young man who only nodded politely.
They carried the black body bag out of the enclosure and to the back of the van. The woman in khaki hurriedly locked up the enclosure, and before Senora could thank her, the woman was in her own vehicle, driving away without a backward glance.
“That was interesting,” Senora said.
“There aren’t a lot of murders here,” Ty said. “This is the kind of place where people leave their doors unlocked without worry. Once word spreads, the people in this town are going to be shaken to their very core. You’ll see a lot more people acting like that woman.”
“As long as they don’t act like him,” she said, casting her eyes toward the Sheriff.
“I don’t think anyone is that big of an ass.”
Senora and Ty removed the gloves and tossed them in the biohazard bag in the van, then got into the car and waited for the van to pull out. The Sheriff jogged over to the car and handed Senora a flash drive.
“What’s this?”
“The footage from the drone. I assume you’re going to see your case through to the end.”
“Are you removing yourself from the investigation?” she asked, a little shocked at his lack of interest.
“There was never an investigation.”
Senora’s face colored, and she opened her mouth to give the man a piece of her mind before she thought better of it and smiled.
“I’ll let you know when I find out who did it, and you can make the arrest,” Senora said, turning the key in the ignition and wishing she was already watching the Sheriff disappear in her rearview mirror.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. I would be willing to bet that Addie thought it was a good idea to climb into the wolves’ den, and it didn’t go the way she planned. I didn’t see anything that suggested that there was any foul play involved. I’m sure your thorough investigation will turn up the same, but there’s no need to broadcast it. That girl caused her mother enough heartache.”
Senora felt a hand on her knee an instant before Ty leaned over her seat to look up at the Sheriff.
“It’s a pleasure, as usual, Cliff,” he said, sticking his hand out the window.
The Sheriff took Ty’s hand in the gesture of a hearty Texas farewell. The handshake seemed to go on forever, but when the Sheriff grunted quietly and pulled his hand away with great effort, Senora bit back a smile.
“We have work to do, so you go on back to writing tickets to fill your coffers. We’ve got it from here.”
Ty’s hand was still on her thigh, a silent plea to keep her temper in check as she struggled to resist the urge to run the Sheriff over with her rental car. The Sheriff waved them off and left, getting into his SUV without another word. But his stiff shoulders and the red that crept up his neck until it reached his ears said all Senora needed to hear. Ty had hit a nerve, and the Sheriff couldn’t wait to get out of there and away from them.
It was a satisfying end to the morning that had left her feeling more than a little defeated.
“I guess you hit a nerve,” Senora said as they bounced down the road behind the Coroner’s van.
“I guess the truth hurts,” Ty said, winking at her.
“You can take your hand off my leg now,” Senora said.
He smiled, moving his hand slowly.
“Sorry. I was afraid you might climb out the window and slap him silly. I didn’t want to see you spend the week in jail. I figured you had better things to do.”
“I do. I have a murder to solve and a family to notify.”
“Don’t you mean we have a murder to solve?” Ty said with a raised eyebrow.
“I wasn’t expecting to have help on this,” she said, not really knowing what to say.
“Think of it as an unexpected surprise. I want to find the person that did this to Addie, too.”
“I work alone,” Senora said.
Why are you being so insistent? Senora wondered. Just let him work with you.
“Not this time, you don’t.”
Senora let out an audible sigh.
“Fine. Where is your car?”
“I didn’t drive here,” he said.
“How did you get here?” she asked, laughing. “Magic?”
Ty laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners as his lips spread into a generous smile.
He never answered, and Senora was left quietly wondering if he had indeed arrived there by magic. Maybe the Sheriff hadn’t been that far off about Ty.